Azorean farmers received today 62 million Euros in anticipated aid granted under POSEI and PRORURAL +, of which € 5.6 million Euros were allocated under the Regional Budget, announced the Azorean Government.
 
This payment, anticipated in two months, reaches 85% of the amount provided for PRORURAL+ measures and 70% of direct payments under POSEI.
 
The anticipated payment in POSEI aid from 50% to 70% and from 75% to 85% in PRORURAL+ measures arises from the request made by the Regional Government to the European Commission in June, considering the damage caused by the severe drought that hit the Region this year. The European Commission has been very sensitive towards the situation of regional farmers.
 
This positive discrimination measure was only applied in the Region as the anticipated payments for Mainland Portugal reached 75% of the amount stipulated for agri-environment measures and in the case of measures for maintenance of agriculture in less-favoured areas. Regarding direct payments, the anticipated aid reached 50%.
 
As for POSEI, the anticipated payment of 70% comprises the slaughter premium for the first semester, the suckling cow premium, the Dairy Cow Premium, the Milk Producers Premium, the Supplement for the Milk Producers Premium and the Aid to Pineapple Producers. The payments amount to 39.6 million Euros, of which 2.6 million Euros were allocated from the Region's own funds.
 
Regarding PRORURAL+, the payments concern Agri-environment measures and Climate, Organic Farming and the maintenance of agriculture in less-favoured areas.
 
The anticipation of PRORURAL+ payments to Azorean farmers totals 22.7 million Euros, of which approximately three million Euros were granted by the Region's own funds.
 
The allocation of aid, in particular those granted under POSEI, is part of a European policy aimed at compensating farmer for agricultural production in less-favoured and remote areas as well as for the production of quality food at affordable prices for all consumers.
 
In turn, the PRORURAL+ measures intend to support more environmentally-friendly production methods, namely organic farming and the maintenance of agriculture in less-favoured areas, also contributing to economic development and the establishment of the population in rural areas.